Pretty Words
by NataliaRoma97
Summary: Roland's sister joins the group as Will fights to become a champion of knights. Rated T for slight language
1. Chapter 1

Anna stood on the side of the hill looking down at the armor-clad knight, Sir Ector, lying against a tree, seemingly passed-out. "Should we help him?" her friend William asked standing beside her. "He's due in the lists in two minutes. Two minutes or forfeit," the blonde reasoned referring to the tournament Sir Ector was currently competing in.

"Lend us those," Anna's brother Roland told Will gesturing to the nose plugs stuffed up Will's nose to keep away the stench coming from the noble. Will quickly dislodged the wadded pieces of cloth and handed them to Roland, who then walked over to Sir Ector and crouched down beside him.

Since they were siblings, Anna and Roland looked a lot alike. Both had dark hair and deep brown eyes, but Anna was a bit shorter than most females her age of twenty. Roland and Anna had been sent to work for Sir Ector when they were children and a few years later Will came along, he was only a year older than Anna. Both of them were very protective of her. They taught her how to defend herself as they learned to be squires and her a maid.

Roland sighed after seeing that Sir Ector was not breathing, "Dead."

"Eh?" Will questioned not quite believing.

"Oh that's not good," Anna stated as their other friend with fiery red hair, Wat, raced towards them.

Wat slapped Will's shoulder with a smile, "Three scores to none after two lances. As long as Sir Ector doesn't fall off his horse, we've won."

"He's dead," Anna told the redhead.

Wat's grin disappeared, "What do you mean?"

"His life's spark is covered in shite. His spirit is gone but his stench remains. Does that answer your question?" Roland growled at him.

"No, no, no," Wat screamed as he ran to Sir Ector's body. "No, he sleeps. Rouse him. We're minutes from victory. I haven't eaten in three days!"

"None of us have, Wat!" Will snapped.

Roland stood up and started back towards Anna and Will, "We need to fetch a priest."

"No, he's not dead!" Wat insisted. "You wake up! Come on!" Wat then proceeded to knock on Ector's metal helmet and try to shake him before kicking the body. "You manky git!"

William, Anna, and Roland shook their heads at Wat's antics. Will turned to see a rider in a red and orange robe approaching them. "Roland, Anna." The siblings turned around as well.

"Squire," the rider greeted coming to a stop a few feet from them. "Sir Ector must report at once or forfeit the match."

Roland opened his mouth to inform the rider of Sir Ector's death but Will stopped him, "He's on his way."

The rider surveyed them as Wat continued to kick the lifeless body behind them shouting, "I haven't eaten in three days! Three days! What did you eat, mate? If you wasn't dead, I would kill you!" The rider then took off back to the lists.

Roland and Anna glanced at Will questioningly. "I'll ride in his place," Will declared before turning around and heading back to the knight's body.

"What? Have you lost your mind?" Anna demanded but Will ignored her.

"Strip his armor. I'm riding in his place." Wat didn't hear him so Will pushed him away. "Wat, stop kicking him! I'm riding in his place. Help me." A very confused Wat helped Will unbuckle the shoulder pads and strap them on.

"What's your name, William?" Roland asked. Will didn't answer. "I'm asking you, William Thatcher, to answer me with your name." Will shot him a glare before continuing to put on the armor. "It's not Sir William. It's not Count or Duke or Earl William. It's certainly not King William."

"I'm aware of that," Will assured them.

"You have to be of noble birth to compete."

"A detail. The landscape is food. Do you want to eat or don't you?"

"The nobles' will spot you a mile away," Anna insisted.

"And if the nobles find out who you are, there'll be the devil to pay," Roland reasoned.

Will grinned cheekily, "Then pray that they don't." Roland and Anna glanced at each other and shrugged before helping Wat finish outfitting Will.

We then led Will, on horseback and fully armored with his helmet's shade down, to the lists. Wat grabbed one of the lances on the way in for Will to use in the joust. The crowd cheered as Wat handed Will the lance.

"The score stands at three lances to none in favor of Sir Ector," the rider from earlier announced on a small raised stage. He then called to Will's opponent, "Lord Philip of Aragon. Stand ye ready?" The knight raised his lance. The red and orange robed man then turned toward Will, Wat, Roland, and Anna. "Sir Ector. Stand ye ready?" Will raised his lance as well and received a curt nod.

"Ready?" Roland asked Will.

"Of course," Will answered threw his metal helmet. "I have tilted against Sir Ector many times, you know."

"In practice as his target," Wat reminded. "You were never allowed to strike him."

"And I doubt he was trying to truly knock you off your horse," Anna added.

"Badger me not with details," Will said.

Roland intervened, "The landscape then. Stay on the horse. He need three points to beat you. So a broken lance won't win it for him. He has to knock you off the horse."

"I know how to score, Roland," Will snapped a bit. "I've waited my whole life for this moment."

Wat glanced up at Will, confused, "You've waited your whole life for Sir Ector to shite himself to death?" Anna rolled her eyes at him but Will didn't answer.

"He meant to joust in a tournament, ya idiot," she hissed.

Just then the white flag was lowered and Will visibly tensed. Then the flag was raised and Lord Philip began to charge. Will kicked the horse, forcing Roland, Anna, and Wat to move out of the way as he began to charge. Anna, Wat, and Roland cheered and urged Will on as he raced towards the knight.

"Get it in the cradle. Get it in the cradle," Roland muttered.

"Get it in the cradle!" Wat shouted.

Suddenly, Will was struck on the helmet with the other lance, but he didn't fall off his horse! They'd won! The three friends ran to Will as fast as they could. "William, are you alive?" Anna demanded as Roland checked Will over.

"We won! We won!" Wat yelled over and over.

"Can you hear me?" Roland asked. Wat tried to hug Roland but was pushed off. "Get off me! William, can you hear me?" Miraculously, Will was all right. "He's breathing. He's breathing!" The three friends laughed joyously and hugged each other before helping Will get off the horse but didn't remove his helmet.

"Sir Ector," the Lord of the tournament called. The four friends turned to look at him and the Lord looked shocked at Will's helmet still hiding his face.

The rider from earlier stepped forward, "Sir Ector. Remove your helmet."

The four of them stiffened as Will answered, "My lord, I'm afraid the final blow of the lance has bent it onto my head."

"He says the final blow of the-" Wat began but Will hit him to shut him up.

"I present your champion, my lord," the rider announced. The crowd cheered and the lord presented Will with a gold feather. Roland helped Will pick it up, since he could not see, and hold it up for the crowd. They'd won, by some stroke of luck they'd made it this far and were now heading home. Or so they thought.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Thanks for the support and sorry it took so long to update!**

After they got Will out of the armor and into the countryside, Roland set out to bargain the golden feather for a profit for the four of them to split. "Twenty-five," Roland offered the peddler.

"No, fifteen," the peddler haggled.

"Twenty."

"Done." The peddler gave Roland the money before setting off with the feather.

"Very good. Cheers." Roland then walked back over to Anna, Wat, Will, the two horses and the cart. "Twenty silver florins." Roland tossed Wat a leather bag. "Here, he didn't want that. That's five for William. Five for Wat. Five the little sister. And five for Roland, who's going straight home to England," Roland continued as he divided up the silver coins.

Wat nodded, "Straight to the pub for me. Eel pie, brie tart… tansy cakes with peppermint cream."

Anna rolled her eyes at him, "Don't give yourself a stomach ache, Wat. This silver's going to buy me a nice little workspace for me to mend clothes."

"Aah, Anna, you're the one with the dream," Wat said.

"Whereas yours only are about food," Roland finished with a smirk and a giggle from Anna.

"We could do this," Will suddenly announced causing the three of them to look at him confused.

"We've done it, boy. That's silver in your hand," Roland reminded as the three of them continued to pack up the cart.

Will turned to face them. "No, I mean, we can do this. We can be champions." The three of them gazed at him, confused. "Give us your coins." No one moved. "Come on now, give me your coins." Reluctantly, they handed him the silver. "Right now that's one for one, one for you, and one for you," Will muttered as he gave each of them a coin leaving the rest in his hand. "Which leaves seventeen. That's seventeen for training and outfitting. The tournament in Rouen is in a month from now. In one month we could split a price bigger than this one. In one month we'd be on our way to glory and riches none of us ever dreamed of."

"In one month, we could be laying in a ditch with Sir Ector," Roland countered. "I don't want glory and riches, William, I just want to go home."

"Tansy cakes with peppermint cream. Dilled veal balls with squash fritters. I'll take my five now," Wat insisted holding out his hand for the coins.

Will turned to Anna, "Anna, come on."

Anna simply sighed, "What if we're caught, Will? What then? Is it worth the risk?"

Determined Will started marching away from them, down the road. With a sigh the other three followed. "Wait up," Wat called. "You're going the wrong way."

Will slowed enough for them to catch up. "You can't even joust," Roland pointed out.

"Most of it is the guts to take a blow, to strike one. Guts I have," Will countered.

"No one's doubting your guts, Will. But what about technique? In a real tournament they'll stomp all over you," Anna added.

"Technique? I have a month to learn that," Will defended. "Besides the sword. Name a man better with a sword than I."

Wat shook his head, "In the practice ring."

"You're not of noble birth," Roland persisted.

"Well, so we lie," Will exclaimed. "How did the nobles become noble in the first place, huh? They took it at the tip of a sword. I'll do with a lance."

"A blunted lance," Wat said quietly.

"And armor that doesn't fit you," Anna reminded.

Will nearly glared at the two of them, "No matter, Wat. A man can change his stars. And I won't spend the rest of my life as nothing."

Roland pointed to a man hanging from a gallows just off the road, "That is nothing. And glory is right where glory will take you."

"We're sons..." Wat began as Anna cleared her throat, "and daughters of peasants. Glory and riches and stars are beyond our grasp. But a full stomach, that dream can come true."

William held up his fingers and walked between them, thinking. He then turned back to them, "If you can take your coins, go to England, eat cake. But if you can't, you come with me."

William took a fighting stance as Anna shook her head, "I'm a lover not a fighter so I guess I'm going."

Will smiled, "You see? Money doesn't matter."

With a yell, Wat and Roland charged and tackled Will as Anna watched in amusement. Both of them grabbed one of Will's arms and attempted to open his hands and grab their silver. Will yelped when Wat bit his hand to try and get it to open. Both Wat and Roland released him.

Roland laughed as Wat yelled, "You see how hungry I am?! Do you?"

"Damn your stomach, Wat!" Will shouted in exasperation before turning to a still smiling Roland. "Roland, please. With seventeen silver pieces, three men…and a woman can change their stars."

Roland huffed, "God love you, William."

Will broke into a smile, "I know, I know. No one else will." He kissed Roland's cheek before swinging Anna around joyfully.

Anna rolled her eyes as Will set her down, "Well, this is going to be fun."

The three of them set up a series of obstacles for Will to do. One involved a wooden post with a shield for him to strike with the lance, another was Will switching off battling Wat and Roland with wooden swords, a third was Wat standing with a shield for Will to strike with the lance, the next obstacle involved Wat and Roland pulling William in a sort of makeshift chariot for him to try to put the lance through a small hoop, and the last one had Wat and Roland pulling Will along a stream in a small boat for him to put the lance through another hoop. All throughout the training Anna tended to the wounds all three of the boys would get and would help set up the obstacles by climbing in the trees or other such things the others could not do.

The first obstacle didn't start off well but in time Will mastered it. Will already was a good swordsman and Anna enjoyed watching Wat and Roland tire and eventually Will beat them both at the same time. However, the third obstacle never really had a chance because Wat kept dropping the shield in fear of the approaching lance; one time he even dropped in on Roland's foot causing Anna to have to splint Roland's foot so he could carry on training Will. The fourth obstacle also did not pan out as well because Wat and Roland got angry with Will for missing and causing them to be so tired from pulling him and the chariot, and Will teased them for performing the same job as ponies. And the last obstacle nearly worked because Will was able to hook the lance in the loop but he feel off the boat in full armor and nearly drowned; Anna made him rest for a few days so he didn't catch a cold or worse.

After several weeks Will had come a long way and all four felt that he was ready for his first test in a real tournament so they set off for the tournament at Rouen.


	3. Chapter 3

The four friends were riding along the road, Will riding the horse and the other three walking on their way to the tournament. Anna had recently given Will a haircut and a shave and, even she had to admit, he looked handsome. "It's my turn to ride," Wat called exhausted. Anna wasn't, she'd just gotten off the horse at the last mile.

"No," Will responded. "We haven't reached the mile marker yet. And I'm not sure you should. Suppose we pass another knight, how would it look if my squire rose while I walked?"

"I don't give a witch's teat! It's my turn! It's my turn!" Wat shouted as they came to a stop.

Roland, ever the peacemaker, intervened, "Eh, look, maybe no one should be riding. The horse is not what he used to be and we need him."

"Fine, fine, fine," Will said as he started to dismount and paused as a blonde haired naked man covered in dirt walked passed them.

"Morning," the man said.

"Oh, good God!" Anna gasped and looked away, shielding her eyes since it was not proper for an unmarried woman to see another man naked.

"Oi, sir," Will called still in shock as he dismounted completely. "What are you doing?"

"Uh, trudging," the man replied. All four of them were silent. "You know, trudging? To trudge? To trudge the slow, weary… depressing, yet determined walk of a man who has nothing left in his life… the impulse to simply soldier on."

"I know what trudge means," Anna mumbled to herself as she peeked through her fingers just enough to join her brother and the others.

"Were you robbed?" William asked the man.

"Interesting question actually. Yes. And at the same time, a huge, resounding, 'No'. It's more of a sort of involuntary vow of poverty, really. But, you know, on the brighter side, trudging does represent pride." Anna noticed the other three moving forward so she followed quietly keeping her eyes on the ground. "Pride, resolve, and faith in the good Lord Almighty. Please, Christ, rescue me from my current tribu-" The man suddenly cut off the end of his sentence and shouted in pain." Anna glanced up curiously and saw the man hoping on his foot before covering her eyes once more. "-lations."

"Who are you?" her brother asked.

"_Lilium inter spinas. _The lily among the thorns. Geoffrey Chaucer's the name. Writing's the game." Anna nearly gasped, recognizing the name. He couldn't be that Chaucer, could he? "Geoffrey Chaucer, the writer?"

"A what?" Wat inquired. Anna slapped him for his lack of awareness in the world besides tournaments and food.

"'A what?'" Chaucer repeated. "A writer. I write with ink and parchment. For a penny, I'll scribble you anything you want from summonses, decrees, edicts, warrants, patents of nobility. I've even been known to jot down a poem or two, if the muse descends." Unbeknownst to her, Chaucer appraised Anna as she stood there amongst the men. "You probably read my book, 'The Book of the Duchess'."

Anna nodded, "I have." The four men glanced at her curiously. "Sir Ector taught me to read."

"And what did you think of it, milady?" Chaucer asked her.

"It was all right, lots of pretty words though." The man didn't respond for a moment, seemingly at a loss for words.

"Well, it was allegorical."

"Is that your excuse for lack of a point?" Anna continued. "It was merely an analogy for your opinions of the state of the government?"

"We won't hold that against you," Roland jumped in. "That's for each man to decide for himself."

"Did you say patents of nobility?" Will asked suddenly.

"Yes, that's right, I did," Chaucer replied. "And all of you are?"

Thankfully, Will was fast on his feet, "I am Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein from Gelderland. And these here are my faithful squires and my mad, Delves of Dodgington and his sister, Dorthea… and Fowlehurst of Crewe."

"I'm Richard the Lionheart. Pleased to meet you," Chaucer announced sarcastically causing Anna to roll her eyes behind her hand. "No, I'm Charlemagne! John the Baptist!"

Will had apparently had enough, "All right!" Will drew his knife, scaring Chaucer to the ground. "Hold your tongue, sir, or lose it."

"Now you see that, I do believe… Sir Ulrich," Chaucer said quietly, slightly out of breath.

"Thank you… Geoff."

"Have you anymore to say, Master Nude, or, having failed your test, may we be on our way?" Roland asked as the four of them left Geoff on the ground and walked back towards the cart and the horse.

"Oh you're off to the tournament are you?" Geoff called.

"This is the road to Rouen, isn't it?" Wat pointed out.

Anna half-smiled not looking at the man still on the ground, "And why would a naked writer care where we're off to?"

"Well, you know, that really remains to be seen. See they're limiting the field at Rouen. Noble birth must be established for four generations on either side of the family. Patents of nobility must be provided." The four of them stopped in their tracks and looked back at Geoff. "Listen, clothe me… shoe me, for God's sake, feed me, let me ride that horse a bit and you'll have your patents."

Wat glanced at Roland, Will, and Anna, shaking his head, "No."

"Patents of nobility," Will whispered to them so Geoff wouldn't hear.

Roland nodded, "We need him. We need him."

"I don't trust him," Anna said with a short glance in Geoff's direction.

"We don't have to trust him, but we do need him," Will insisted causing Anna to huff.

Wat put up his hands, "Let me handle it."

"Be nice," Roland ordered.

Anna snorted, "Give him a good scare." Roland just looked down at her and she shrugged nonchalantly.

"Nice, nice, nice," Wat chanted to himself before he crouched in front of Geoff. "All right. Betray us and I will fong you until your insides are out… and your outsides are in and your entrails will become your extrails. I will… pain, lots of pain."

Anna laughed, "Come on, Geoff. I'll get you some clothes, then we'll continue on to Rouen."


	4. Important Message

ATTENTION! ATTENTION! ALL NataliaRoma71 READERS! THIS IS AN ALL MESSAGE ONE EVERY SINGLE STORY I HAVE! I NOW HAVE A NEW ACCOUNT CALLED OwlEyes71 WHERE I WILL BE POSTING ALL OF THE KELLY POTTER SERIES! THIS MEANS KELLY POTTER WILL BE TAKEN DOWN OFF OF MY OLD ACCOUNT AND PUT ON MY NEW ONE TO BE ADDED TO!

IMPORTANT!: I WILL NOT BE ABANDOING MY ORIGINAL ACCOUNT! I WILL STILL BE REGULARLY POSTING 'NEVER ALONE', PRETTY WORDS', 'D'ARTAGNAN'S BEST FRIEND, AND ALL OTHER STORIES I AM OR WILL BE WORKING ON!

THIS NEW ACCOUNT IS STRICTLY FOR KELLY POTTER! SO AS OF 09/23/13 KELLY POTTER WILL BE TAKEN DOWN AND POSTED ON OwlEyes71! THANKS FOR ALL THE LOVE AND SUPPORT!


	5. Chapter 5

Discliamer: I do not own!

The tournament was already underway when the four of them arrived. Geoff, now completely clothed, took his freshly written patents up to sign Will, Sir Ulrich, in with Anna standing beside him to make sure he didn't get them into trouble. "May I present Sir Ulrich, whose mother's father was Shilhard von Rechberg… son of the Duke Guelph of Saxony, son of Ghibellines, son of Wendish the fourth earl of Brunswick. The same Wendish who inherited the fief of-"

Geoff was suddenly cut off by one of the initiators, "That'll do, herald. Six generations is more than enough. Show me the patents." Geoff nodded and unrolled the scroll in his hands. It was enough for the initiator, "Indicate in which events shall your Lord Ulrich compete." Geoff picked up a long wooden sword and struck the shields for sword on foot and the joust. "He'll first meet Roger Lord Mortimer."

"Thank you very much," Geoff said as he and Anna left and started to walk towards Will and the others.

"I must say Geoff, I am slightly impressed," Anna told the blonde man beside her.

He glanced at her, "Well, I'm certainly glad to earn your approval, Miss Anna."

Anna shook her head, "Don't get ahead of yourself, herald." She then walked passed him and joined her brother and Wat to go set up their tent for the duration of their stay.

Not long after Will was ready and his first match had come. Anna had to admit that he had come far and with seemingly effortless ease, he won. Cheering, Wat, Roland, and Anna rushed to him just as the overseer announced, "Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein… defeats Roger Lord Mortimer once lance to none." Will dismounted the horse as Anna took hold of the reins. He then hugged the three of them joyously.

"Easy. They'll think it's the first time I've broken a lance."

"But it is, William, it is," Wat yelled.

"Hush up," Anna told him.

Will waved at the crowd, "Sir Ulrich's broken thousands of lances."

"Well, come on, master with a thousand lances. You're due in the sword ring in two minutes," Roland announced as they began to walk towards the next event.

"My armor's loose," Will proclaimed. Wat and Roland tried hitting the armor with sticks but it didn't do a whole lot. Will realized he couldn't move his right arm up very high, "Shite. If they come overhead I can't block."

"Well, there's nothin' for it now," Roland told him. "We're overdue in the sword ring as we speak." Wat and Anna tried to adjust the shoulder straps to no avail.

Will grumbled, "It was a mistake to do two events. I don't have time to breathe. I should withdraw from the sword."

"But the sword is by far what you're best at," Wat reminded him.

"But the prizes are bigger in the joust, and prestige as well," Will countered.

Anna glanced around, "Has anyone seen Geoff?"

Before anyone could answer her they ran into a man with greasy long black hair in a wool cloak. Something about him seemed a little off to Anna. "Ulrich von Lichtenstein?"

"Yes?" Will answered confused as to how this man knew him.

"I am Simon the Summoner."

"And I'm overdue in the sword ring." He tried to walk passed Simon but was stopped by Simon's walking stick.

"I must detain you on behalf of your herald."

"Oh, good Lord what did he do?" Anna growled without thinking.

"Please, follow me," Simon said and the four of them followed quietly. Simon led them to a tent in which a naked Geoff stood before them.

"Not again," Anna muttered before covering her eyes, again.

"You were never robbed, were you?" Will asked Geoff.

"Look, I have a gambling problem. I can't help myself," Geoff explained. "And these people will… quite literally take the clothes off your back."

Will looked at Simon and the other man in the tent, "What do you expect us to do about it?"

The other man responded, "He assured us that you, his liege, would pay us."

"And who are you?" Will questioned.

"Peter, a humble pardoner…and purveyor of religious relics."

"How much does he owe you?"

"Ten gold florins," Simon replied. Anna's eyes widened behind her hand.

Wat rushed Geoff, "You manky git!" Anna glanced up to see Wat have Geoff's head in a headlock and punching his face. "Pain! Pain! Take the pain!"

"Get him off me!" Geoff screamed.

"Wat, let him go!" Will shouted as he and Roland managed to pull him off of Geoff. Anna put herself in front of Wat to keep him where he was and so she wouldn't see Geoff naked.

"Ow!" Geoff yelled making Wat grin.

"What would you do to him if I was refuse?" Will inquired taking control of the situation once again.

"We, on behalf of the Lord God…will take it from his flesh so that he may understand…that gambling is a sin," Simon answered. Anna could hear Geoff whisper something to Will but couldn't quite hear what it was.

"Please, will you help me, Sir Ulrich?" Geoff begged a bit louder. "I promise you won't regret it."

"I don't have the money," Will claimed sadly. Anna shoulders sagged. As mad as she was at Geoff for lying he didn't deserve to die. "Release him… for God's sake, give him back his clothes. And you'll get it."

"Done," Simon said after a moment. Geoff was safe.

A few minutes later they were on their way back to the sword ring and Geoff was attempting to put on his shirt. "You lied," Will accused Geoff.

Geoff nodded sadly, "Yes, yes, I lied. I'm a writer. I give the truth scope!"

"Sometimes the truth doesn't need embellishment," Anna told Geoff as they reached the sword ring.

He cast her a look before announcing, "Behold my Lord Ulrich von Lichtenstein, son of Shilhard-"

"Too late. He's been announced," the overseer cut him off.

"Fine," Geoff huffed as he and Anna walked off to the side to watch.

The overseer continued by shouting the rules, "Ten blows by sword. Sir Ulrich to receive first." Will was doing well but the other knight scored the first point by striking Will's right shoulder where he couldn't block. The match continued and Will was struck again.

"Stop letting him hit you!" Geoff shouted.

"If you had been around instead of gambling you would've known he can't block with his right," Anna hissed at Geoff.

"Oh!" and the writer was quiet. The four of them continued to cheer Will on as best they could and Will managed to pull out a win.

"Sir Ulrich prevails, five strikes to two!" the overseer announced.

Before anyone could stop him, Geoff rushed into the ring and held up Will's arm, "Yes! Behold my Lord Ulrich! The rock! The hard place! Like a wind from Gelderland, he sweeps by. Blown far from his homeland in search of glory and honor! We walk in the garden of his turbulence!"

Anna had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing at how ridiculous Geoff sounded. The crowd was dead silent having no idea what Geoff had said or how to react. Roland saved the day by letting out a low, "Yeah!" which got the crowd cheering again.

"Garden of turbulence, eh?" Anna asked cheekily as Geoff rejoined them before Will began his next match.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N Thanks for all the support! And I do not own A knight's tale.**

Will won all of his remaining sword matches with ease. The crowd was very enthusiastic towards him and cheered him on along with Anna, Geoff, Roland, and, Wat. In fact, he ended up becoming champion of the sword but apparently that wasn't enough for him.

Will was also doing very well in the joust, winning all his matches some by landslides and others by the last lance. After a certain match Will happened to get a long scratch in the breastplate of his armor. "We should've saved our last penny for the blacksmith." The four went off in search of a blacksmith who could fix it. "Now, I can't pay you now… but I promise you I will, just as-"

"No! Money," the first blacksmith interrupted.

Will then turned to another blacksmith, "Excuse me."

"Cash first, not promises," the blacksmith grumbled. "Go on."

Will continued on to the next blacksmith, "Excuse me, sir."

"You might try the farris," the blacksmith suggested pointing to a female blacksmith across the road.

"A woman?" Will questioned in disbelief. Anna nearly scoffed but held her tongue.

"Beggars cannot be choosers, my lord," the blacksmith replied.

"Thank you," Will said with a sigh as they journeyed over to the female's forge. "Excuse me."

"I don't work for free," the woman with black hair and brown eyes replied shortly as she heated up a horseshoe.

"And I can't joust with broken armor."

"That's your problem, not mine. Each drop of this sweat has a price on it."

"Just as well. They told me I was daft to even ask," Will lied as he started to walk away.

That got her attention, "Who?"

"The other armorers."

The woman put the horseshoe in some water, "Did they say I couldn't do it because I'm a woman?"

"No, they said you're great with horseshoes but shite with armor. The fact that you're a woman wasn't even mentioned." Angry the woman put down the horseshoe and her hammer and grabbed the breastplate from Will.

Within a few minutes Will's breastplate was fixed, sort of, thanks to the female smithy, Kate. With that the Anna, Wat, Roland, Will, and Geoff journeyed back to the lists for Ulrich's next match. Once they arrived Will pulled Geoff aside but not out of earshot of Anna. "Geoff, 'tis my lady." Both Anna and Geoff followed his gaze to a beautiful woman sitting in the lists with the other nobles.

"Oh geez, William, you aim too high," Geoff scoffed.

"Oh if there's another way to aim I don't know it," Will replied completely star struck.

Roland called, "Concentrate," as he patted the horse and secured the saddle.

"What should I say to her?" Will requested of the writer.

Geoff then whispered in Will's ear, "If she doesn't give you her name say: 'Perhaps angels have no names, only beautiful faces.'"

With that Will mounted his horse and cantered over to the lady as she sat with her lady-in-waiting and another noble. Anna shook her head at Geoff, "Do lines like that work where you come from?"

Geoff smirked at her challengingly, "We'll just have to see, won't we?" Both watched the lady's reaction carefully and the lady smiled at Will's compliment.

"Well, I'll be damned," Anna mumbled.

"Perhaps that line would've only not worked on you," Geoff implied.

Anna shook her head with a grin, "Oh no, it would've worked, given the attractiveness of the compliment's giver." She then turned away from a dumbstruck Geoff and walked back to her brother and Wat.

Will rode back a moment later looking very distressed. Anna wondered what had happened. Before she could ask the other knights herald walked out to the center of the list, "Second son of Sir Wallace Percival, third Earl of Warwick. My lords, my ladies…it is with honor I introduce my liege… Sir Thomas Colville." The audience applauded politely as Geoff waltzed to take Colville's herald's place.

"You're good. You're very good," Geoff praised before turning to the nobles. "My lords…my ladies…" Geoff than turned to the peasant portion of the audience, "…and everybody else her not sitting on a cushion…" the peasants all cheered and Anna giggled. "Today…today…you find yourselves equals. For you are all equally blessed. For I have the pride…the privilege, nay, the pleasure…of introducing to you a knight sired by knights. A knight who can trace his lineage back…beyond Charlemagne." Wat put his head in his hand causing Anna to giggle again. "I first met him…atop a mountain near Jerusalem…praying to God…asking his forgiveness for the Saracen blood spilt by his sword." All while he was talking Geoff walked around and around, playing to the crowd. "Next, he amazed me still further in Italy…when he saved a fatherless beauty from the would-be ravishings of her dreadful Turkish uncle." The crowd roared in protest of such an injustice. Anna felt a few pairs of eyes on her, wondering if she was the one Geoff was referring to. Not by a long shot. Geoff's voice got softer that everyone had to strain to hear him, "In Greece…he spent a year in silence…just to better understand the sound of a whisper." Silence rang in the lists or a moment before Geoff continued with his voice back at its normal tone. "So without further gilding the lily and with no more ado… I give to you the Seeker of Serenity, the Protector of Italian Virginity, the Enforcer of our Lord God, the one the only… Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein!" The crowd cheered enthusiastically for Will much to the surprise of him, Roland, Wat, and Anna. Geoff's speech had had its desired effect. Will waved politely as Geoff took his bow, "Thank you! Thank you! I'll be here all week."

"Well, that was different," Roland said as Geoff rejoined them.

Geoff just shrugged, "Well, it's time we celebrated our differences."

"Just maybe not in public," Anna suggested.

"You…" Wat told Geoff dangerously.

"Yes, Master Fowlehurst, I'm well aware a good fonging is on the way," Geoff acknowledged.

"Mind if I get in a few swipes?" Anna added causing Geoff to roll his eyes at her.

Geoff kissed the horse's nose for good luck before walking back to Will mounted on the horse, "Now I got their attention. You go and win their hearts."


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own A knight's tale. RIP Heath Ledger**

The match quickly got underway. Will was doing well as always. He was even asking if the lady was concerned when he took a hit on the first lance. Geoff assured him that she was very concerned even though in reality she didn't show it if she was. However, after the second lance, Colville withdrew because he was injured causing Will to move ahead in the tournament.

That night as Anna lied in the tent she, by default, shared with Geoff, she heard Will and Roland mumbling in the other tent, probably about the woman. Anna glanced over at Geoff, wondering if maybe, someday, she'd fall in love like that.

The next day was the last match of the tournament and it was Will versus Count Adhemar, a knight who had not only made a fool out of Will they day before, but who had never been unhorsed and was a renowned champion. The people cheered his name as he entered the lists.

"Oh, lovely," Wat muttered at the sight.

"Count Adhemar, I don't think I've ever seen him lose," Will announced.

Roland nodded, "No, but defeat him and you'll see it firsthand."

"You can do this Will," Anna added just before Geoff showed up with a pretty woman. Anna felt a strange sensation in the pit of her stomach.

"My liege," Geoff called to Will but Will didn't answer. Instead Geoff tapped Will's armor, "Sir Ulrich. Christiana."

"My lady bids you wear this token," the woman, Christiana, announced as she handed Will a white cloth with a gold sun on it.

Will took the token, "Of course."

"She also said to tell you, her name…is Jocelyn." Will repeated the name quietly as Christiana left.

"_Au revior_," Geoff called and Christiana repeated the French goodbye. Anna shot him a look to which he replied with a quiet, "What?" Anna rolled her eyes and noticed that her brother was staring after Christiana with his mouth agape. With a chuckle she closed it, snapping Roland out of his trance.

"Concentrate," Roland told Will as they got Will on the horse and ready for the match.

As soon as the flag was drawn Will and Adhemar raced towards each other. Both struck each other equally earning a point each. The four remaining behind ran to Will and brought him back to the starting point.

"I can't breathe," Will cried before Anna loosened his breastplate a tad. "He hits like a hammer. It's amazing."

"But not perfect," Roland claimed. "He aims high on your chest. Roll your shoulder back when you strike, his blow may glance to your right."

"But if he strikes me on the left, I'll be obliterated."

"I didn't say it wasn't a gamble."

Soon the flag went up for the second time and once again both riders charged each other. This time, with Roland's advice, Will struck Adhemar, earning another point. The crowd cheered loudly as did Will's friends. The four of them ran to Will once again as the crowd began to chant, "Ulrich!" over and over again.

This time, however, Adhemar began to charge before the flag was even raised. In a rush Will took off as well. Somehow, Adhemar knocked Will's helmet clean off. Anna and the others gasped before racing to Will, who could barely keep control of his horse. Luckily, Will was all right. Adhemar than approached them carrying Jocelyn's token on the end of his broken lance.

He smirked at William, "Gain more bearing, Ulrich. See me again when you're worthy." With that Adhemar rode off towards Jocelyn.

Wat snarled, "I'll fong you in the arse!"

"Geoff!" Anna yelled as Wat started to climb the gate in the middle of the list to get to Adhemar. Just in the nick of time, Geoff pushed Wat off. Anna sighed in relief that Wat hadn't embarrassed them or gotten himself arrested.

"Well done, my Lord. Well done," Geoff said as he clapped. Anna just rolled her eyes as she and Roland led Will out of the list.

Later at the awards ceremony Will was presented with a golden horse with a rider for being champion of sword on foot and Adhemar received the top prize for winning the joust. The crowd cheered happily for both as the two knights waved to the crowd. However, Will decided to not compete in sword again, just the joust in order to be tournament champion and beat Adhemar, much to the displeasure of the rest of them.

That afternoon the five of them began packing and Kate, Simon, and Peter came to collect their pay. Will hacked off the gold rider and gave it to Simon, "Ten florins. That should do."

Simon shrugged, handed the gold to Peter, and turned to Geoff, "It's sixes and sevens tonight, Chaucer. Do you feel lucky?"

"Do wear enough clothes," Peter taunted.

"Go on, be gone. I'm done with you," Geoff responded. "Except to exact my revenge."

Peter crossed his arms, "What on earth could you possibly do to us?"

"I will eviscerate you in fiction. Every last pimple, every last character flaw. I was naked for a day. You will be naked for eternity."

Peter laughed whilst Simon glared at the writer, "I have a feeling we shall meet again." With that the two walked away.

"Not bad, Geoff. I think you really scared them. I could almost see the tails tucked between their legs," Anna teased.

"I meant what I said," Geoff insisted.

"Oh I don't doubt it. Will I be in your fictions, Master Poet?" Anna gave him a small curtsy as she packed the mats they slept on.

Geoff grinned, "Perhaps, if you do not mind the 'pretty words' I shall use to describe you."

"Why should I expect anything else?" Geoff merely chuckled as did Anna.

Will turned to Kate, "Here, farris, take what we owe you." Will handed her the gold horse for her to take a percentage of.

"The armor you wear, it wasn't made for you, was it?" Kate guessed.

Will crossed his arms, "So, what of it?"

"I could make such armor you wouldn't even know you wore it."

"And how much would that cost me?"

Kate shrugged, "Just take me as far as Paris."

"It's not a bad offer," Anna spoke up.

"We travel alone. Take your gold and go," Will told Kate. Angrily, Kate broke off the head of the horse and tossed the remnants of the horse to Will who then tossed it to Roland as Kate walked away. "Get what you can out of that. The rest of us will finish packing camp."

"Why are we leaving so soon?" Wat demanded with a mouth full of apple.

"The tournament at Lagny-Sur-Marne starts in a week. If we leave now we can walk most of the way and save the horse."

Will started to put the saddle in the cart but Geoff stopped him, "No, you must go to the banquet tonight. You have to dance, you have to make an appearance."

"Oh, and have Adhemar laugh at me again? No!" will tried to continue packing but him and Geoff began to fight over the saddle.

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

Just then Roland cleared his throat, alerting them to the fact that Christiana was standing beside him. "My lady would know the color of your lord's tunic tonight," Christiana told Roland.

"His tunic?" Roland questioned.

"Yes, so that she can dress to match him."

Geoff hopped in, "We regret to inform your lady that we won't actually be attending-"

Will cut him off, "Herald do not answer questions you do not know the answer to!"

"Absolutely, my lord."

Will then turned to Roland, "Uh, Squire, answer her. What color is my tunic tonight?"

Roland thought about it for a moment, "Uh, green. Um, trimmed in a kind of pale green… with wooden toggles."

"I will tell my lady," Christiana said with a nod before leaving.

"Oh, this is a disaster!" Will complained.

"No, I think it'll due as your tunic quite nicely," Roland replied as he fingered the tent's fabric.

Anna nodded, "I think it will. Be sure to give it a nice trim. Do you remember everything I told you? With all the work I have to do I won't have time to help you."

Roland nodded and turned to Wat, "Give me your dagger, Wat."

"That's not the disaster, Roland," Will whined. "I don't know how to dance."

"I can teach you," Geoff offered.

Anna glanced back at him, "You? Teach him to dance?" Geoff nodded sending Anna into a round of giggles. "Well, if we're going to be staying here longer I've got some laundry to do." With that she left the boys to their dance lesson.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own

Anna had been folding laundry when Roland brought Geoff to her to with a bloody nose. "What on earth happened?" Anna shrieked as she quickly got out some bandages.

"A complete misunderstanding," Geoff assured her.

"Misunderstanding?" Roland questioned. "Wat punched him for callin' him a girl."

Anna giggled as she dabbed at Geoff's broken nose as he laid his head in her lap, "I got him, Roland. Go finish Will's tunic." Roland nodded and left the two of them alone. "Dance lessons not going well?"

"Could be better. Will's having a hard time learning."

"Probably because he's not actually dancing with a girl."

"Well, maybe you could help."

Anna shook her head, "I don't think so."

"Why not?"

Anna finished bandaging his nose, "I haven't danced in a while and I doubt I'd be a good teacher. There, as good as new. Or it will be in a few days. Now go finish your dance lesson." With one last look Geoff left her.

A little while later, Kate came by and Anna asked her to help a bit with her baskets. Kate agreed and carried one of the baskets into the stable to load in the cart. As the two women were walking in they saw Wat, Will, and Geoff fighting as Roland sat off to the side sewing. "And one and two and three and four," Geoff shouted as Will and Wat attempted to dance. "You can hit me all day because you punch like a what?"

"A girl," Roland offered making Wat angry again and Will had to get between him and Geoff to keep a brawl from breaking out.

The women walked by giving the boys a look as they put the clothes in the cart. Kate even whistled to show how bad they looked.

"Wow Geoff, you weren't kidding. I didn't know you meant this bad," Anna said.

"Oh, and you two can do better, can you?" Geoff teased.

"Of course we can," Kate said.

Anna glanced at Kate, "We're women."

"Good. Why don't you show us then?" Will suggested.

Kate and Anna shared a look. Kate shook her head, "No."

"If I'm going to all this effort, you'd best learn to dance. Now ask them nicely," Roland told Will.

Will sighed, "I'm sorry, Kate, Anna. I was wondering if you'd care to show us how to dance."

"Please," Roland added.

Will nodded, "Please."

Anna sighed, "I can't."

"Come on, Anna. I've seen you dance, I know Sir Ector taught you, please," Will begged.

Anna sighed once more, "Fine. Wat, sit down, you're hopeless."

After a few tries Kate and Anna managed to make Will's dancing look presentable. Roland finished Will's tunic just as they were polonaise-ing. "You're not going to wear your hair like that, are you?" Kate asked.

"Is there another way?" Will questioned causing Kate to laugh.

With a final bow they were finished and Will, with a bit of hair styling from Kate, was off to the banquet. "You know, you're a better dancer than you give yourself credit for," Geoff told Anna.

She glanced up at into his blue eyes, "Was that a compliment? Without excess words?"

Geoff rolled his eyes, "It happens on rare occasion."

Anna giggled, "Good night, Geoff."

"Good night, Anna," she heard him whisper as she left the stable and went to bed.

At the next tournament Kate presented Will with a set of newer, smaller armor. Anna, Will, Wat, and Roland looked at the armor doubtfully as Geoff was sitting by himself writing. "What?" Kate asked seeing the looks.

"I don't know. It's too small. It's too light," Will voiced everyone's thoughts.

"He'll be crushed. Killed," Wat added.

Kate shook her head, "No. I found a new way to heat steel. It's thinner, smaller… but just as strong."

Roland noticed a set of marks on one of the shoulder plates, "What are these?"

"The marks of my trade should another knight admire the armor," Kate answered.

"Smart," Anna remarked as the men chuckled.

"Twist, bend. Feel the movement," Kate ordered and Will followed her instructions.

"But eventually I will be struck," Will insisted.

"And then dead," Wat continued negatively.

Now Kate was frustrated, "Do you at least have the courage to test it?"

In order to test it, Kate, Anna, and Roland pushed a battering ram on track into Will, sending him flying back into a pile of sacks of flour.

"Are you all right, Will?" Roland demanded as they rushed to him.

Will smiled, "I didn't feel a thing."

Anna smiled, "Brilliant."


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not and will not ever own!

The following day all of the other knights laughed as Will walked towards the lists in his new armor where the five others were waiting. Will immediately mounted his horse. "What's the name of that knight?" Will asked Roland when he noticed his opponent.

"Piers Courtney," Roland answered. "He's raised the taxes on his land three times this year to pay for tournament."

"His people starve while he sits at banquet," Wat finished as he handed Will his helmet. "It's probably true," Wat said quietly to Anna causing her to roll her eyes at their attempts to get a rise out of Will. Roland winked at the two of them.

As soon as the flag dropped Will took off towards the other knight. With ease, he struck on the chest, bearing the rider and his horse to the ground. Anna gasped, this was the first time Will had accomplished this in any of his matches. Will threw away the broken lance as the people chanted his name, well, his stage name.

The six friends stayed to watch Adhemar's match against Sir Thomas Colville. Adhemar's herald stepped up, "The Count Adhemar… son of Philippe de Vitry, son of Gilles… master of the free companies…defender of his enormous manhood…" Anna and Geoff chuckled at that as Geoff shined a metal surface reflecting the sun on the herald's face. "…a shining example of chivalry and champagne." The herald bowed earning a few laughs and a smattering of applause.

"Watch every move Adhemar makes. If there's a weakness we'll find it," Roland told Will whilst Colville's herald was announcing his Lord.

"And Colville looks fit, this should be good," Will responded.

Curiously, one of Adhemar's men ran to him during the herald's speech. With a nod from Adhemar, his herald put the white flag over Adhemar's shield announcing his withdrawal. The six of them ducked under the railing and into the list. "Adhemar withdrew," William said in disbelief.

"A withdraw like that can mean only one thing," Roland announced. "Royalty."

Colville and Adhemar raised their lances respectfully before leaving the lists. "I'll see what I can find out," Geoff announced before walking away. With Adhemar withdrawn Will would face Colville next so the remaining five quickly left to get Will suited up and ready for his match. Once they got Will on the horse Geoff came running and shouting towards them. "Wait! Wait! Colville is Edward, the Black Prince of Wales, and the future king of England." Everyone froze in shock and surprise. This changed everything.

"He's in disguise like me so he can compete," Will pieced together.

"He has never met an enemy without victory. He has never attacked a town he could not defeat," Geoff continued.

Wat cut him off a bit, "We're English, Geoff! We know who he is!"

"We can't joust against a member of the Royal Family. It's a death sentence if he's injured or worse," Anna stated.

Roland turned to Will, "You must withdraw, Will. Tell them Geoff, they're about to drop the flag."

"Absolutely!" Geoff yelled as he ran off.

"Give me the lance," Wat told Will but he would not. "Give me the lance."

Anna watched as Geoff unrolled the flag and placed it over Ulrich's shield but turned back at the sound of horse neighing. Will took off racing towards Prince Edward as if the match had begun. 'Colville' responded and the two struck each other with their lance. "The match is a draw," the overseer announced. Anna noticed Geoff stop Will, probably to scold him a bit before Prince Edward cantered up to them. Prince Edward and Will exchanged a few words before Edward suddenly took off his helmet, revealing his identity to the on-looking crowd. Geoff ran his hands through his hair in exasperation as he walked over to the rest of them.

Prince Edward ended up withdrawing, which made Will tournament champion. "The winner of the mounted joust and tournament champion…Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein," the overseer announced as he handed Will his prize of a golden horn.

The crowd cheered as Will started to walk away. "Melt it down, sell it, do whatever you do," Will growled as he tossed Roland the gold horn.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Roland said.

Wat ran up to Will, "Will, you're tournament champion!"

"Just like you wanted," Anna told him as the rest of them caught up.

"I'm not champion until I defeat Adhemar," Will disagreed. "Adhemar withdrew."

"Sir Ulrich," Jocelyn called as she and Christiana appeared. "I've come to see what you'll wear to banquet tonight."

Will didn't even look at her, "Nothing."

"Well, then we'll cause a sensation for I'll dress to match," Jocelyn replied with a smile oblivious to Will's attitude. Anna glanced down to see her brother talking, flirting rather, with Christiana. For some reason she was happy about it beyond just the fact that her brother had found someone who interested him

"Don't you ever get tired of putting on clothes?" Geoff whispered something in Will's ear Anna couldn't hear.

"A flower is only as good as its petals, don't you think?"

"A flower is good for nothing.

"Really?" Jocelyn questioned as her voice changed.

"This isn't going to end well," Anna whispered to Geoff.

Geoff nodded, "Not in the least."

"You can't eat a flower. A flower doesn't keep you warm," Will explained.

"And a rose never knocked a man off a horse either, did it?" Jocelyn quipped.

Will waved his hands at her angrily, "You're just a silly girl, aren't you?"

Jocelyn looked down for a second before meeting Will's eyes again, "Better a silly girl with a flower than a silly boy with a horse and a stick." With that the lady and her lady-in-waiting walked away with only a small muttered goodbye. A very angry Will walked off by himself.

"It's called a lance, hello," Wat called after Jocelyn earning a slap upside the head from Kate.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own.

The following week the six of them traveled to Bordeaux for the tournament. Will was, of course, doing well as was expected. And the crowd loved him. After one particular unhorsing of a knight, Geoff ran towards Will after he dismounted.

"I have word," the herald announced.

"What?" Will demanded.

"Adhemar's been called back to the free companies. The Black Prince commanded it. He could be gone all season." Will took off his helmet revealing his very horrified and fuming expression.

Wat then decided to be a pain in the arse, "First Jocelyn and now Adhemar." Will glanced at them and threw his helmet to the ground with a yell before stomping off.

"Well done," Anna huffed as Wat.

"Yeah, well done," Geoff agreed.

Wat's jaw dropped, "What? I…" He trailed off and they all quickly left the lists and returned to their tents. Due to their winnings each of them now had their own tent, to which Anna was both happy and disappointed about for a reason even she did not know.

Weeks turned into a month and William won tournament after tournament and his popularity sky-rocketed. But he was not happy, not at all. One night as the six of them gathered in the stables, Will walked in with a rose in his hand.

"Geoff," Will called.

Geoff looked up from his conversation with Anna, "Yes, William."

"I need to write a letter." Geoff nodded and quickly scrounged up some parchment and ink. "'Dear Jocelyn.' No. 'My Dearest Jocelyn.'"

"Better," Geoff agreed as he scribbled on the parchment.

"I miss you." Geoff hissed as if the words pained him. "Was that wrong?"

"Well, it's up to you, really," Geoff tried to cover.

Anna nodded, "It's your funeral , I mean, letter."

"Say something about her breasts," Wat suggested causing Kate and Anna to roll their eyes.

"Yeah, you miss her breasts," Roland agreed.

"Her breasts?" Will questioned.

Geoff, ever the romantic, stepped in, "Yes, you could, but I would tend to look above her breasts, William."

Will thought for a second, "I miss her throat?" Anna put her head in her hand.

"Still higher," Geoff advised. "Towards the heavens."

"Try the moon," Anna recommended looking up.

Kate nodded and glanced at the men, "Her breasts weren't that impressive." Anna smirked at her and Roland chuckled.

"The moon? The moon," Will turned around and paced a bit in deep thought whilst smelling the rose. "'It is strange to think…I haven't seen you since a month. I have seen the new moon, but not you. I have seen sunsets and sunrises, but nothing of your beautiful face.'" Anna smiled at how romantic that sounded.

"That's very good, William," Geoff whispered.

"I used to know this girl once who…" Roland spoke up, "well, she broke my heart but I used to say that 'The pieces of my broken heart are so small that they can be passed through the eye of a needle.'"

Wat got this sad look on his face, "She used to cook for the Duke of York. I miss her like the sun misses the flower. Like the sun misses the flower in the depths of winter. Instead of beauty to direct its light to… the heart hardens like the frozen world her absence has banished me to.'"

Anna sighed, "'Every night, I lie awake imagining he is beside me and all is right in the world. And in every dream I see his face and awake in sadness that my dream is not a reality.'" As she spoke, Anna noticed Geoff watching her intently.

"'I next compete in the city of Paris," Will continued. "'I will find it empty and in the winter if you are not there.'"

"I like it," Geoff commented. "And now, how finish it?"

"With 'hope'," Kate said simply as all eyes shifted to her. "Love should end with hope. My husband, God rest him… told me something I'll never forget. 'Hope guides me. It is what gets me through the day and especially the night. The hope that after you are gone from my sight…it will not be the last time I look upon you." Anna felt tears collecting in the corners of her eyes.

Will nodded, "Finish it with: 'With all the love that I possess, I remain yours, the knight of your heart… William."

Geoff looked up, "You mean 'Ulrich'?"

The grin slipped off Will's face, "Right, yes. Wat, will you deliver it to her?"

"Of course," Wat answered with a smile.

Anna dried her eyes on her sleeve, "All right then, I'm off to bed. Good night all." Without waiting for a reply she walked swiftly out of the stable towards her tent.

"Anna," she heard someone call and turned around to see Geoff running towards her. "Are you all right?"

Anna plastered on fake smile as Geoff came to a stop in front of her, "Of course."

She could tell that Geoff didn't believe her. "Lies riddle the soul."

"Very funny."

"Anna, please tell me."

"It's nothing."

"If it wasn't nothing you wouldn't be close to tears right now." Anna sighed. "Who is he?"

Her eyes widened, "How do you know this about a man?"

"There is always a man."

"All right, fine, there is."

Geoff half-smiled in triumph, "Who is he?"

"A friend," Ann replied vaguely.

"Ah, and you cannot relinquish your feelings without endangering your friendship." Anna nodded. "Well, you cannot hide forever."

"I know, but for now I can."

Geoff shook his head, "Come along, I'll walk you to your tent."

They reached Anna's tent a minute later. "Good night, Geoff."

"Sweet dreams, Anna."


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer:I do not own.

The following week they reached Paris and Wat had still not come back. "No Adhemar," Geoff announced after he came back from signing Will in.

Will sighed and repeated, "No Adhemar." Suddenly, they heard a whoop. It was Wat riding towards them. Will grinned, "Wat. Tell me, did you see her? Did she read the letter."

Wat nodded, "Yes. And yes."

"And?"

Wat was quiet for a second and looked like he had bad news, "She's coming to Paris!" Will laughed joyously.

"Did she give you anything for me in return? Did she give you a letter? Or a token? Did she give me a token? She did. Well, what is it, Wat? Come on, give it to me," Wat had a disgusted look on his face. Suddenly he kissed Will before spitting on the ground.

Will's eyes widened and he started dancing around happily, "Yes! Yes! Hell, yes! She-Because she's-That means she-Yeah!"

Anna chuckled, "That was, quite possibly, the most disgusting thing I've ever seen."

That night everyone but Will went down to the tavern for a drink and they happened to meet a group of Frenchmen who wanted a bet. Geoff came back with the details, "All right. They wager they wish to make is that a Frenchman, and not Sir Ulrich, will win the tournament. However, the bet is sixty florins."

"That's all we got," Kate pointed out.

Geoff half-nodded, "Yes and if we had seventy the bet would be seventy."

"If we lose we'll be stuck in France," Anna added negatively.

Roland shook his head, "Even money, but Ulrich against every Frenchman here?"

"Come on, he's won four tournaments in a row. And once again Adhemar is not here," Geoff insisted.

"I check shields too. John Beaumont's here. Count Theobold of Shoship, Philip of Burgandy, all three French champions."

Suddenly, one of the betting French men stood up, "An Englishman will not win this French tournament. English legs are unsteady on French soil." The other men laughed.

"_Pardone moi," _Geoff shouted at them.

Wat yelled as well, "You shut your mouth, all right?!" The Frenchmen made chicken noises causing Anna to roll her eyes. Wat turned to her brother, "Come on, Roland. It's a good bet. Win and I can buy my own tavern."

"I could write full time," Geoff submitted.

Kate looked at her goblet, "And a forge for me."

"I could start designing clothes again," Anna begged her brother.

Another one of the Frenchmen spoke up, "Yes, and because French wine is too much for English bellies."

Wat stood up, clearly pissed off. "All right, I'm this fonging close, mate. I swear to God, Quasimodo."

"Listen," Roland interrupted as Wat sat down. "All I want is to go home, and I already have enough to make that trip a hundred times."

The third Frenchman stood up, "And most importantly, because the pope himself is French!"

That was it for Roland, "Well the pope may be French, but Jesus is English. You're on." The four others at the table cheered. "He won't lose, not with the princess here watching him."

"He's blond! He's pissed! He'll see you in the lists! Lichtenstein! Lichtenstein! He's blond! He's tan! He comes from Gelderland! He comes from Gelderland!" They sang-shouted at the top of their lungs for the whole pup to hear.

The next morning, Geoff was about halfway through his speech announcing Will, "…the Protector of Italian Virginity…the Lance that thrilled France…the Harasser of Paraser! He gave them hell as La Rochelle! The Enforcer of our Lord God! The one, the only… Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein."

As the crowd's cheering died down, the flag dropped and the match began. Will rode forward a bit before stopping. "What are you doing?" Roland demanded.

"Losing," Will answered simply.

The four of them shared a look. "I don't understand."

"Well, neither do I."

Just then Will's opponent broke his lance on Will, showering them with splinters. Geoff ran up to them. "Uh, are you blind? Didn't you see the flag?" he demanded fro Will.

"I saw it, okay?"

Wat spoke up, "I know. You wanna drop behind for a more dramatic victory."

Will shook his head, "Look, Jocelyn told me I should lose I prove my love."

"Oh God, I'd rather you were blind," Geoff groaned.

"As romantic as that is, Will, did it have to be today?" Anna questioned remembering their bet.

"Don't be foolish, Will," Roland told him. "Each woman wants proof, that's all."

"Excuse me?" Anna questioned, a little offended.

Geoff whispered in her ear, "He doesn't mean you."

"Proof of what?" Will asked.

"That their legs have not been uncrossed for nothing." Anna gagged a bit.

"Roland, I haven't uncrossed her legs."

Wat threw up his hands, "Well, then, why in the name of Saint Swithin are we doing this?!"

"Because-" Will didn't get a chance to finish because his opponent rode towards him again and they all had to get out of the way quickly. Will took another blow but bounced back quickly. "Because…I love her."

This was going to be a long day.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own A knight's tale.**

The whole 'losing to prove his love thing' lasted for a while. Match after match Will lost by just letting the other knight break his lance on him. Wooden splinters from the broken lances continued to shower the five of Will's friends.

Wat was especially angry with Geoff because they were going to lose their bet and Roland and Kate had to hold him back. "I'm going to lose everything!"

Geoff just shrugged, "That's why it's called gambling." Wat managed to wrench himself away from Kate and Roland and threw Geoff on the ground.

"It's very romantic, though," Kate claimed with a smile.

Anna nodded, "True, but I'd rather not lose fifty florins because she won't take Will's word for it."

Roland gazed down at Kate, "Are you a woman or a blacksmith?" Anna and Kate chuckled softly.

"Sometimes I'm both," Kate said with a shrug.

The three glanced over at the fight to see Wat have Geoff slung over his shoulder. "Wat, put him down," Anna ordered. Wat did so but he still continued to beat the crap out of Geoff.

Later, when Will had a break of matches they put his arm in a machine to pop his shoulder back into place. Anna massaged Will's shoulders as Kate worked on the armor.

"No knight has distanced himself with victories, yet," Geoff announced. "If you win all your remaining matches and some of your opponents take key losses…who knows, you could make the semis, even the finals."

"Well, at least the armor's proven itself," Kate reminded. It was true; the armor had taken little to no damage at all.

"And your love?" Wat asked as he twisted Will's arm some more. "Have you proven that yet?"

Will groaned in pain as Anna held onto him trying to pop his shoulder back before massaging his shoulders again. Will looked up at his friend, "Wat, you remember church as a boy. The fear, the passion. That's what she makes me feel. And for that, I say my rosary to Jocelyn and no one else."

"William, that's blasphemous," Wat said before twisting Will's arm again, this time as Will hissed his shoulder popped back into place.

Will sighed in relief as Wat unwound his arm and Anna undid the straps keeping the arm in place, "Then may I burn in hell."

"Withdraw," Roland begged. "Lose than way. Just don't take anymore punishment."

"Oh, Roland," Will sighed. Anna had hardly ever seen her brother so distraught. He really thought of Will as his little brother.

Just then Christiana showed up, "My lady sends this message. She says if you love her-"

Will interrupted her, "I know, I know. I must lose. Is she not watching?"

Christiana smiled, "She says if you lover her you will not lose another match. She says if you love her you will win this tournament." Will's face turned hard and he sighed.

Quickly they got will in his armor again for his next match and strolled back into the lists. "There she is, the embodiment of love. Your Venus," Geoff encouraged Will.

"And how I hate her," Will growled.

Anna smiled, "There's a fine line between love and hate."

The moment the flag dropped Will was off, quickly earning a point with ease. They all cheered for him. "I don't understand women," Wat told Geoff.

"Nor do I, but they understand us," Geoff agreed. "Maybe not you."

Anna smirked, "You have no idea." Both men glanced at her curiously.

Will managed to win all of his remaining matches, unhorsing some of his opponents along the way. By some miracle, Will won the tournament and their bet.

That night Anna was taking some laundry back to Will's tent when she ran into Geoff. "Oh, hi. I see you collected our winnings," Anna greeted noticing the small bag of coins in Geoff's hand.

"Yes, and you probably don't want to go into Will's tent right about now," Geoff told her.

"Why?"

"Guinevere has come to bed her Lancelot."

Anna's eyes widened a bit, "Jocelyn's in there? Well, it is certainly about time. I guess I'll give him his clothes tomorrow."

"I'll walk you back to your tent," Geoff offered and the two of them set off. "So, the other day when you were talking about designing clothes, you mentioned that you used to before."

Anna nodded, "Yes, when I was little and we were living with Sir Ector, his wife would let me sew with her and I loved creating clothing out of fabric. Sir Ector's wife said that maybe one day I could sell my clothes. She was the one who taught me to dance and convinced Sir Ector to teach me how to read. I miss her. She died when I was sixteen."

"Where were your parents?"

Anna looked down sadly, "My mother died giving birth to me. And my father was a squire for Sir Ector, but he passed on after catching a cold while they were travelling. Sir Ector and his wife were like my parents. And Wat, Will, and especially Roland always looked out for me when we were children. They're my family." Anna smiled gently looking up at Geoff. "And now you and Kate are part of our family as well."

Geoff smiled, "And I, for one, am honored." Just then they reached Anna's tent and Geoff grasped Anna's hand and kissed it. "Good night."

Anna was thankful for the darkness to conceal her blush, "Good night."


End file.
